The image data can, generally, be corrected for their quality in a hardware (e.g., electronic still camera) used for taking a picture or in a personal computer which has acquired the image data. It is because, the image quality can be corrected by a function of the hardware used for taking a picture or by a software installed in the personal computer.
When pictures are taken by using a silver salt camera, on the other hand, the user usually asks a DPE shop to develop and print the pictures. The DPE shop corrects the image quality, so that the user can receive the prints having their picture qualities almost properly corrected without the need user's caring about anything.
However, the user does not always take pictures using a hardware equipped with an image quality correction function or does not always use a personal computer in which a software for correcting the image quality is installed. For example, the user who has a plurality of digital still cameras may be forced to take pictures using a camera which is not equipped with a desired function. In such a case, the user is not allowed to enjoy the benefit of the image correction function of a high-functional digital still camera, as a matter of course. When the user desires to upload intactly the image data taken outdoors using a camera attached to a portable terminal onto the web server on the internet, he cannot utilize the software for image quality correction even though the software may be installed in the personal computer.
In general, further, irrespective of whether the image quality correction function is equipped in the hardware or is realized by the software, the user always cannot avoid the inconvenience of buying it at a considerable price. Besides, if the user forget to use the image quality correction function or cannot use the function to a sufficient degree, then, the function is not utilized to a sufficient degree.
On the other hand, when the image data acquired by a digital still camera are uploaded to a web server for appreciation, there is no room for the image quality correction unlike the one executed in the case of the silver salt photographs, and no correction is accomplished unless the user corrects the image quality by using the software or the like.
Accompanying the widespread use of internet in recent years, further, it is becoming more popular to preserve the image data and the like, possessed by the user on a web page of a web server of the provider through a network and to lay them open as a web page.
For example, the image data can be corrected for their quality by the hardware used at the for electric still camera for taking a picture or on a personal computer which has received the image data. This is done by the function mounted in the hardware or by processing a software installed in the personal computer.
However, the user does not always use the hardware equipped with the image quality correction function and does not, always user the personal computer in which the software for correcting the image quality is installed. For example, the user who has a plurality of digital still cameras may often be forced to shoot pictures using a camera which is not equipped with a desired function. In such a case, the user is not allowed to enjoy the benefit of the image correction function of a highly functional digital still camera, as a matter of course. When it is desired to upload the image data shot outdoors by using a camera attached to a portable terminal onto the web server on the internet, it is not allowed to utilize the software for image correction even though it may have been installed in the personal computer.
In general, further, irrespective of whether the image quality correction function is equipped in the hardware or is realized by the software, the user always cannot avoid the inconvenience of buying it at a considerable price. Besides, if the user forget to use the image quality correction function or cannot make goods use of the function, then the function is not enough utilized disadvantageously.
Further, when a new version featured by improved correction function comes onto the market, if this new version relates to a function which is based on the hardware, then, the user must buy the hardware again. Or, if the new version relates to a function of the software, the user must make the version up inconveniently.
In other words, to enjoy full benefit of the image quality correction function, the user must have an adequate knowledge, which may not be unsuitable for general users.
To solve this problem, the inventor processes such the one that a program for correcting the picture quality is put in the server and the user operates the program on the web from the client's personal computer or the like to correct the image data preserved in the server.
Among the systems for correcting the quality of the image data on the server, when the image data are managed as a file by an ordinary file system, it is difficult to completely decide whether the data file has already been corrected for the quality of the image data or has not yet been corrected. Repetition of the processing for correcting the quality of the same image data a plurality of times may often give no meaning or may give bad effect, which poses a problem. Therefore, means is necessary for judging whether or not the processing for correcting the quality of the image data has already been executed.
To solve the above problem, a method of separately providing a file for managing the data has already been proposed. This method is such that the put and name of the data file as well as whether the processing for correcting the quality of the image data has been executed are stored, and the file is rewritten every time when the processing is executed for correcting the quality of the image data.
According to the method of separately providing the file for managing the data, however, it is not easy for the user to cope with a change in the name of the data file on the server after the data has been processed. In other words, matching it has a drawback that not maintained between the file for managing the data and the real data file.